3: Transforming Melanie's New Office two days and many coats of paint | The finished product | I wasn't pouting, just trying to get the base- board glue to stick

4: You'd never know from the smile on Willie's face that moving from her own apartment to live near Jim and Kaye in Texas was the hardest decision she'd ever made. But in true Willie fashion, whenever friends commiserated with her, she cheerfully answered, "I'm just cooperating with the inevitable." | Farewell Party for Willie

7: We left a few days later for Florida and warmer weather | 4th snow this year (the most we've had since we moving to Arkansas!) | again!

8: Orange Beach, Alabama Cool and breezy, but it's the beach -- with no snow! | February 15

9: We actually did other things than consume food during our three days with Darrell & Francine Elder, but we certainly did a lot of that. Had lunch twice at the beach, shopped together, and played cards each night. Bill is enjoying their sun porch at the top left. | eat | eat | eat

10: the Shopping Day | Next stop: Tom & Sharon's

11: hand coating individual potato chips with chocolate | Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans. Beans=vegetables. Sugar is derived from sugar cane or beets. Both are plants, hence vegetables. Thus, chocolate is a vegetable. Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your to-do list. That way, at least you'll get one thing done. If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated. You can't let that happen, can you? The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. Solution: Eat it in the parking lot. | Things we learned at the chocolate factory: | . | . | . | . | . | . | .

12: Love the

13: Joe and Lori | They had the great idea of this airboat ride | On February 23, we headed to the airport to meet | Bill had called them a few weeks earlier, saying, "I'm sick of this weather. Wanna go to Florida?"

14: We have | Liftoff! | Another super idea Joe and Lori had! Thanks to the help of a waitress, we found an uncrowded spot about ten miles away from the spacecraft launch. | Listening to the radio transmission of the countdown was almost as exciting as seeing it happen, especially when the time was close and there was a problem that caused a temporary hold.

16: And we didn't even buy anything there! | A fun-filled, gorgeous day | Had to keep reminding ourselves that it was February | as we strolled along in summer clothes, enjoying the warmth

17: On our trip through Ocala horse country -- According to Mary, the local WalMart greeter, this Frog barbecue was the best to ever pass your lips. An experience! | Ormond Beach | Arabian Nights The most fun for me was hearing Lori's gasps of amazement at what these people were accomplishing on the horses.

18: Joe & Lori left the morning of March 1, then Jim & Merv arrived that afternoon to join us. After a tour of The Villages retirement community, it was on to | St. Augustine | A tour of the city included an old school with its "Meditation Room." Couldn't pass up this photo op. | Most evenings ended with us gathered around a table in our room playing cards.

19: Above: We toured the Fountain of Youth (where Jim is sampling water from the fountain) and Flagler College, a beautiful and fascinating place built as a hotel, with construction taking only 18 months. | Left: Since we couldn't spend time ON the beach in Destin, (area under a tornado watch) we visited an outlet mall, where three of us bought needed jackets.

20: Mike and his new toy | A Mini Cooper S | Taking us for a spin

21: 18

22: 21 | age 1 | 7 | co-birthday celebrator

23: tornado | Monday, April 25 | ! | A tornado actually touched down in Hot Springs Village, and caused serious damage. We were very fortunate to only lose part of a tree. A memorable evening, with time spent in our "safe room," hurriedly created by Bill in a closet after receiving the warning to do so immediately.

24: Texas Trip with Gerry and Linda | We made it all the way to Hot Springs before stopping for lunch | A Bronze Cattle Drive in Waco It looks like Bill and I are trying to wrestle them to the ground | One of our favorite day trips was to Gruene, where we ate at The Gristmill, overlooking the river -- a great find! Bill was upset at a nursery where plants were dry and proceeded to water some himself. We learned later that the whole area is on water restrictions because of drought.

25: Tree Bones | Our main destination was San Antonio, where we toured the Alamo and the River Walk, but have no pictures from there. Nor do we have pictures of the stop at an outlet mall, and the neighboring hospital where we spent a few hours.. It looked like Gerry would have to have emergency hernia surgery. Thankfully, the doctor determined it could wait until he got home. | Gerry, a Vietnam veteran, read about this memorial. Very moving.. Glad he directed us to it.

27: Very Special Visits | On our way back home -- It was great to see where Willie is living now. Kaye's, Willie's, and Bill's laughter show what fun we had. Perfect timing made it possible for us to attend Paula Engelhorn's ordination into the Episopalian priesthood in Austin. And last, but certainly not least, a visit with Gloria and Darrell High in Dallas (Gloria and I have been special friends since first grade.) | friends in Santa Rosa, also in Hot Springs Village

32: Good friend Austin | In the blink of an eye, you’re now grown with the promise of a full life of your own. Just remember, I love you and have from the start when you first looked at me and forever stole my heart. Happy graduation, Travis! May 19, 20 | Where did the time go? When did you grow into the tall, handsome man we all love and know? Kind and smart, tall and fit, with strong hands, sharp mind and quick wit. In the blink of an eye, you've grown to be the source of love and pride for your Grandpa and me.

33: Bub & Jeanne's Grand Adventure!! Their first time to visit us | We're so proud of Jeanne -- she faced her fear of flying and felt justifiably victorious! | June 8

38: On The Road to Tennessee First stop: McDonald's | Places in Memphis Bub Was Excited to See Beale Street and M.L. King Memorial

39: Bub's Alma Mater | very helpful staff member

40: : Jack & Vicky Click, Corky & Virgil Whitlock, Van Michaels, and the Brothers Ferguson (Jack, Virgil, and Van were Bub's classmates at TMI) Below: At a group dinner at Dinner Bell, Van gave Jeanne a tour of the TMI yearbook With cousin Charla and Iva Pearl

41: Coming and going on Main Street | 507 McCaslin -- Home when they were teenagers | "A brother shares childhood memories"

42: We Found It!! And were all giddy with excitement!

43: Every time we have gone to Sweetwater, Bill has tried without success to find the house his father built out in the country. Along with the house, he put up this rock wall and had his boys (ages 5 and 9) put their hand prints in the concrete.

44: Another Surprise! | No one was home, so we went to talk to the man working in his garden across the street to tell him why we were there and why we were so excited. | Turned out to be Wes Conor, an old friend to both Bill and Bub! More laughter and memories shared!

45: Mayfield Dairy | .

46: Famous Dave's | Our last meal together before Bub and Jeanne flew back home from Nashville